Ismail Akwei is an international journalist, communications and media consultant, editor, writer, human rights advocate, pan-Africanist, tech enthusiast, history fanatic and a lover of arts and culture. He has worked with multinational media companies across the continent and has over a decade's experience in journalism. He is currently the editor of face2faceafrica.com.

In 2007, the world was stunned by a proclamation from the then Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh that he had a cure for AIDS.

He paraded international media to his presidential compound in Banjul where there were dozens of AIDS patients awaiting treatment from the military leader who said his concoction made from seven undisclosed plants will end the epidemic.

With television cameras rolling, Jammeh pulled out a green herbal ointment which he rubbed onto the rib cage of a patient; and then applied a grey-coloured solution on the patient’s skin; followed by a yellowish, tea-like brew which patients were asked to drink.

He said in an interview that in 30 days if the treatment continues, the patients will be completely cured, but only if they stop taking anti-retroviral drugs to avoid complications.

The proof he gave of the cure were inconclusive test results of nine blood samples of patients he sent to a lab in Senegal where it was disclosed that four had undetectable viral loads, one had a moderate viral load and three had high loads.

Jammeh’s assertion was disproved by the World Health Organisation which expressed concern about the requirement of patients to cease taking anti-retroviral drugs. This could weaken their immune systems and make them even more prone to infections.

Ousman Sowe, Lamin Ceesay and Fatou Jatta who were among the first to join the AIDS treatment said their health worsened, while others died in the programme after they were forced to stop taking anti-retroviral drugs and drink the home-made concoctions that made them vomit.

They said the doctors and patients publicly declared that his medicines were working due to the fear of the consequences of criticising the dictator who came to power in a coup in 1994 when he was only 29 years old.

“I believe it is my responsibility to hold Jammeh to account. I knew that one day the real story would be told,” said Ousman Sowe, a former university lecturer in his 60s, who had told AP in 2007 after the treatment that: “It feels as if the president took the pain out of my body.”